USDA Integrated Approaches and Resources for Erosion Prediction and Control in Sustainable Farming Systems

Abstract

Global reduction in agricultural productivity due to soil erosion and degradation, depletion of irrigation water supplies, and competing land uses is limiting our capacity to meet increasing world-wide demand for food and fiber. Estimated water (sheet and rill) erosion on cropland declined from 1.68 billion tons per year (4 tons/acre/year) in 1982 to 960 million tons per year (2.7 tons/acre/year) in 2007 in the United States. Despite this decline in erosion rates, water erosion is still one of the most predominant resource concerns facing producers and conservation planners. Roughly 99 million acres (28% of all cropland) are eroding above soil loss tolerance (T) rates. Integrated approaches are required to achieve a sustainable farming system of soil, water, air, plant, animal, and human resources. The key approach to achieving integrated sustainable management is to think system (ecosystem, whole farm, and watershed), think critically (connect the dots), actively seek resource opportunities, emphasize technology “exchange” vs. “transfer” with other producers and partners, plan creatively and flexibly, and focus on keeping energy flow through the integrated system. Case studies, field trials, demonstrations are all important approaches for technology exchange. Interdisciplinary teams including producers and partners are essential in developing integrated sustainable farming systems. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides interagency resource inventory, research, technical assistance and training for planners, partners and producers on “how-to” evaluate and understand site-specific field conditions, including chemical, biological and physical. This enables us to evaluate and implement best management practices/approaches for erosion control within an integrated farming system. Considering how the farm fits into broader watershed management (e.g. off-site effects and resource opportunities) is also essential to problem-posing and problem-solving resource management success and development of sustainable communities. Building soil quality is the key to building soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources. Practical applications, integrated approaches and tools, and potential effects of conservation practices on soil erosion and soil quality will be provided. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation version 2 (RUSLE2) is a process-based model that predicts long-term average annual soil loss for a given set of climatic conditions, on a defined land slope, and under a specified cropping and tillage management system. RUSLE2 can be used to predict the erosion and soil quality benefits of conservation cropping and management systems. The in-progress NRCS Sustainable Cropping Systems Handbook lays out an integrated framework for understanding and improving soil quality, water quality, air quality, nutrient and salinity management, crop yield and quality, irrigation water management, integrated pest management, and long term soil productivity. The Web Soil Survey places local soil maps, descriptions, data, suitability ratings, and interpretations in the hands of users. The multi-agency “Soil Change Guide: Procedures for Soil Survey and Resource Inventory” and “Interagency Ecological Site Description Manual” provide systematic procedures for examining, quantifying, dynamics within soils and plant communities. In addition, they provide systems to record observations, data management schema and ways to analyze relationships and develop trends and risk models. These new resources provide the tools for conservationists to assess soil health and develop long-term sustainable conservation plans for our nation’s, and potentially our world’s, farms and ranches.